Three Years into the Mirror
by college girl
Summary: A post Hogwarts story. After spending three years out on their own, the gang comes back together to find they have travelled back to the past. A strange little story I started writing awile ago (still working on it). You get to see Harry in Ch 3.
1. Chapter one

Three Years Into the Mirror

**Part 1**

            Hermione Granger woke up to a sharp ringing in her ears.  She reached for the alarm clock on her stand next to the bed and tried to hit the snooze button, but the ringing just wouldn't go away.  Finally she realized the ringing was not coming from the alarm clock, but from the telephone.  She reached up to pick up the receiver.  Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was only six.  'Who would be calling at this time of morning,' she thought to herself.

            "Hello, Granger residence."

            "Hermione, I need to talk to you," a familiar, but unrecognized voice greeted.  "I'm sorry I'm calling so early, but…"

            "Who is this?"

            "Can I please Floo over there immediately.  I have some urgent news."

            "Ginny?  Is that you?"

            "Yes, of course it's me!"

            "Ginny Weasley?  I haven't seen you in ages!"

            "Can I come?"

            "Sure.  Just let me get it approved quick."

            "No need.  It's already approved." 

            "Okay.  See you in a little bit Ginny."

            "Later Hermione."

            Hermione couldn't believe Ginny Weasley had just called her.  She hadn't seen any of the Weasleys since Harry's funeral almost three years ago.  After that, she lost touch with all of them.  At first, it was just too hard to see her old friends and to face the fact that Harry was gone.  After that, life caught up with her and time simply swept away.  She had heard that Ron ran off and got married to some girl from Beauxbatons, and that Ginny was the only Weasley child still living at home.  Hermione often felt a little guilty about not keeping in touch with any of her school friends, but how time flies!

            She dragged herself out of bed and turned off the dial on her alarm clock.  'That's funny,' she thought, seeing the bare dresser.  'What happened to Viktor's photograph?'  She always had his picture in a little wooden frame on her dresser.  Viktor Krum was Hermione's fiancée.  They have been engaged for almost two years now, but they still hadn't made a date for the wedding.  He played Quidditch, so he was out of town a lot and Hermione was too busy working at the ministry to worry about it.  She was sure she loved Viktor, she just didn't have the time to plan a whole wedding.  She supposed she just needed a little time to herself before she got married to anybody.  She sighed, and continued into the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead.  

            An hour later, Ginny appeared as promised, through the fireplace.

            "Ginny," Hermione shrieked, rushing up to give her long lost friend a hug.  "It's been so long.  I've been so busy, I guess I didn't notice how much time went by. "

            Ginny was confused; Hermione was acting strange.  That morning, Ginny just shrugged her strangeness off, deciding that Hermione was still half asleep when she called and didn't know what she was talking about, but now Ginny wasn't so sure.  Hermione had plenty of time to wake up and shake the drowsiness out.  Maybe Hermione got hit hard on the head last night.

            "Hermione," Ginny said, releasing herself from her friend's grasp.  "Calm down, I just saw you yesterday, and the day before that, and the day..."

            "What are you talking about," Hermione asked, backing away.  

            "Hermione, did you hit your head on anything last night?"

            "No.  I actually got a good night's rest in a change.  Viktor was out of town again."

            "Viktor?  Viktor Krum?  Why was Viktor **_in_** town?"

            "Didn't you hear?  We're engaged!"

            "Ha ha, very funny Hermione," Ginny said, relieved.  "You almost had me there.  Look, I came here with something urgent, and all you can do is play some kind of joke on me."

            "Sorry Ginny," she said, her face twisting up in confusion.  "What did you need to tell me?"

            "Harry's getting married…to Cho Chang," Ginny cried out.  "I can't believe him.  All those years I've tried to get him to notice me.  And what does he do?  He goes out and marries Cho Chang!  I know I said I was over him, but I think a tiny bit in me was still hoping there was a chance.  Now I know there isn't.  Oh, please help me Hermione.  Talk some sense into me or something."  Ginny said this all very fast in one breath.  

            Hermione's face tensed up and her voice took a sympathetic tone.  She reached up her hand and patted her sympathetically on the head.  "Oh Ginny, I'm so sorry.  You're still in denial."

            "Do you have to put it that way?"  Ginny didn't like getting teased on such a sensitive subject, even if she was used to it from her brothers.  So what if she still thought she had a chance with Harry?

            "Ginny, you have to face the facts.  Harry's dead."

            "What do you mean?  He died this morning," Ginny's eyes quickly started to well up.  'So that is why Hermione is acting so strange.'

            "No Ginny, he died three years ago.  At Percy's wedding, remember?"

            "I don't know what you're talking about Hermione!  The only one that died at Percy's wedding was You-Know-Who."

            Hermione's eyes went from sympathy to confusion.  "Ginny, something strange is going on here."

            "You're telling me!  What on earth is gong on?"

            "I don't know…I get the strange feeling we are both telling the truth."

            "How can we both be telling the truth?"

            "Maybe…maybe we have been living in separate lives or dimensions or something…no, that can't be…sounds too weird."

            "It does sound weird…but right now, it almost makes sense."

            "We should talk to Ron…"

            "And Harry."

            "I don't want to talk to a dead guy!"

            "He's not dead!"

            "Fine.  And Harry.  But, where are we going to find them?"

            "I know the perfect place to start…the Burrow."  They both headed straight for the fireplace.  Before they took off, Ginny turned to Hermione one last time.  "This is going to put a damper on the whole wedding isn't it?"

            "Oh don't worry, Viktor and I haven't set a date yet."

            "Not yours and Viktor's, yours and Ron's," she said right before she left.  

            "**_What_**," Hermione asked, following behind her.


	2. Chapter two

Three Years into the Mirror 

PART 2

            Hermione arrived in the Weasly's fireplace with a 'pop'.  She looked around and was surprised to see that the burrow hadn't changed since she had last seen it, almost three years ago at Percy's wedding.  She turned to tell Ginny so, when she saw a look of utter shock on Ginny's face.

            "What happened," Ginny finally chocked out.

            "What are you talking about Ginny?  It looks exactly like it did three years ago."

            "Exactly," she said pointing to a large yellow couch facing the fireplace.  "We got rid of that couch last year and replaced it with a leather black one.  And we had a matching chair right over there," she said, pointing to a bare spot right next to the couch.

            "Let's go get this all cleared up," Hermione said, walking towards the kitchen.  She stopped suddenly before she opened the door.

            "What is it," Ginny asked, stopping behind her.

            "There are voices coming from the kitchen."

            "That's probably just my family.  Go on."

            "No, I mean a lot of voices.  It sounds like something's going on in there.  Like a party or something."

            Ginny crept beside her and placed her ear next to the door.  Suddenly, the door opened and Ginny stammered unbalanced into the kitchen.  The room was filled with presents and decorations and Penny was in the center of the room, opening a little package wrapped with paper with little silver bells on it.  The package was tied up with gold and silver bows.  Hermione and Ginny gasped at the same time; that was the exact package Ginny wrapped a slinky nightgown in, three years ago.  The nightgown was given as a joke on Penny's wedding shower.

            Hermione looked up at the person standing between the kitchen and the room Ginny and Hermione were in, holding the door open.  It was Mrs. Weasely beaming down at them.  "I wondered what happened to you girls.  You better hurry up and get in here.  Penny's begun opening presents already."

            The girls exchanged confused looks and decided to head into the kitchen to find out what exactly was going on.  However, as soon as they arrived in the kitchen, a disgruntled Ron Weasley pulled them back out.  "Need to talk to them for a minute," he said, grabbing on to Ginny and Hermione's hand and leading them back from whence they came.  He pulled them through the room, and on out the door.  The morning air was cool and crisp, a slight breeze added to the feeling.  Ron pulled them to the backside of the house, far away from anyone that could overhear.  "Something strange is going on," he said as soon as he had them alone.

            Ron Weasley woke up and looked at the clock next to his bed.  'Dang,' he thought.  'It's not even noon yet.  If I get up now Mum's sure to pester me about job-hunting again.'  For the last two years, Ron had often been between jobs.  He couldn't quite seem to keep a hold of one, not that he really cared.  He lost the one job he really cared for.  Although Auror training was hard, Ron made it through with the best of them.  He was doing rather well as an Auror too, until a certain tragedy struck that caused him to turn from his job, and pretty much the rest of his life.

            He wasn't always like this.  At one time, he had hopes and dream and desires, and all the like.  He was one to embrace life and live it to its fullest.  He had his best friends, Harry and Hermione.  He knew at one time, they needed him as much as he needed them.  He would have done anything for them, but that all changed.

            Only about a week after they defeated You-Know-Who three years ago at Percy's wedding, Harry and Hermione had betrayed him in the worst way ever; they ran off and got married.  Hard as it was to him, the worst part **_wasn't_** that Harry took the one girl that meant the most to Ron right under his nose.  No, the worst was the fact that they abandoned him.  They didn't care enough to write him just to see how he was doing, or apparate by for a short while.  They took off, leaving him alone and miserable.  He became depressed, and quit showing up for work.  His boss finally told him to clear his desk, he was no longer needed as an Auror.  

Ron wouldn't have even known Harry and Hermione were married until Fred and George ran into them a year ago, getting some supplies at Hogsmeade.  They told the twins that they were staying a few nights at the Three Broomsticks.  Ron went to visit them the next day and give them a hasty congratulation, but they were gone.

            Ron was now the only Weasley still living at home, the only Weasley without a job, and the only Weasley that wasn't married.  He didn't care.  He liked having the house to himself sometimes.  Besides, everyone that meant the most in his life, excluding his parents of course, was gone.

            He crept down the stairs and decided to grace his parents with his presence.  Maybe he would go job-hunting today, and maybe he would find something worthwhile in his life.  The old stair creaked as he walked down toward the kitchen.

            As he creped closer, he heard a commotion coming from the kitchen.  It sounded women's laughter.  In fact, the whole kitchen sounded full, but he couldn't remember his mum telling him anyone was coming to the Burrow today.  Curiously, he placed his ear to the stair door and listened inside.

            "Just think Penny, in exactly one week you'll be Mrs. Percival Weasley."

            "Yeah, Penny Weasley.  I like that."  Was this some kind of joke?  Percy and Penny were married almost three years ago.  In fact, in just a week it would be three years to the day.

            "Just a minute dear, I'm going to find out what happened to those two and then you can start opening presents," Ron heard his mum say.  He couldn't stand the suspense any longer; he opened the door and stepped into the kitchen.

            He felt like he stepped into a time machine.  Everything looked exactly as it had three years ago.  Penny was standing there holding a package that Ron remembered Ginny wrapping three years ago for Penny's bridal shower.  Her hair was still in a long ponytail, which was impossible because Ron remembered her cutting it chin length just two weeks ago.  The women in the room all looked familiar, only younger.  He recognized them all, but he didn't see two faces that he was sure to be there: Ginny and Hermione.  He didn't know what was going on, but he was sure they could help him get back into his own time or something.

            A few seconds later he was happy to find them walking in behind his mum.  It was sad seeing them as they were.  He missed those days, before Hermione ran off with Harry, and before Ginny married Neville and moved to France.  He quickly buried those thoughts in the back of his head as he remembered that to them, none of these events had happened yet.

            He wasted no time pulling them out of the kitchen.  As he saw the stares from his relatives headed his way he blurted out, "need to talk to them for a minute."  He pulled them into the living room, and out into the backyard.  As soon as he was sure no one else could hear him, he leaned down and muttered, "Something strange is going on."


	3. Chapter three

A/N:  I finally finished a new chapter of this story.  It's only been about six months, lol.  I want to thank Carrie for looking over this chapter for me, and giving me her support.  I couldn't have done it without her!  Also, thank you to everyone that has reviewed.

            Harry Potter woke up at 8:05, just like he always did.  He didn't even have to glance at the clock.  He didn't have to go to work until ten, but his first duty of the day was to wake up his wife so she could get to Hogwarts, where she was teaching part-time.  Waking his wife was a chore most days. It was a good thing for Harry to know that he was able to wake himself up probably……he didn't need an alarm clock to tell him when to get up.

            Harry was surprised to say the least, when he reached to shake his wife awake, and he kept reaching.  Opening his eyes for the first time that morning, he noticed not only that she was missing, but her side of the bed was…well, there _was_ no her side of the bed.  He was sleeping in a single bed…something he hadn't done since before he was married.  

            Now he looked at the clock.  10:02.  Something was wrong, Harry never did oversleep.  He would have to call in sick to work, which is something else he had never done.  Rubbing his eyes, he reached for the phone on the nightstand, only there was no nightstand.  This really startled Harry.  

            Looking around the room, nothing was the same.  He must have fallen asleep at a colleague's flat.  Only, why didn't he remember that at all?  He quickly searched his brain for what he did the night before.  All he could recall was taking his wife out to dinner and a movie, and then coming home to go to sleep.  The only thing he drank was some sparkling butterbeer at the restaurant.  That must have been it!  There must have been something in the butterbeer Harry couldn't handle.  They must have gone to a friend's house after they got home, and Harry must have fallen asleep while they were there.  His wife must have left him there for the night, afraid of waking him and making him sick.  That had to be what happened; it's the only reasonable excuse Harry could think of.  

            Harry looked around the small apartment.  It looked oddly familiar, but he didn't remember any of his friends living here.  He decided to look at the address, and maybe he would remember something.  He checked the number on the door.  208.

            That number reminded him of his old bachelor pad.  In fact, now that Harry thought about it, the whole place looked much like his old flat.  Too much!   If Harry didn't know better, he'd say he was standing in the very same flat he lived in, right after he had left Hogwarts.

            Harry's first thought was to check into work, but he thought better of it.  It was best to find his wife first.  She was the only one that could straighten everything out.

            He apparated right into the main bedroom of their small house.  Strangely, everything was different.  His wife must have been very busy the night before redecorating the bedroom.  Something clicked in Harry's brain.  Is that why he stayed in the flat that night?  Harry couldn't remember any mention of redecorating before.  

            He heard something on the opposite side of the room.  It was his wife, in bed, rolling over.  He assumed she was still asleep.  So Harry walked over, and crawled onto his side of the bed, getting ready to wake her in his usual manner.  The bed felt squishier than his old one, which surprised him at first, causing him to loose his balance and fall right over her.  At this, she awoke, and pulled the covers off her face.  Then she let out a piercing scream.

            Harry noticed at once that this wasn't his wife's face.  The lady began to reach for something in a drawer at the side of the bed.  He decided this was the right time to bolt.  He apparated right to work.  Maybe they could clear everything up for him.

            He arrived on the front step of Betty's Black Kettle Bargains.  Here he worked for Mrs. Betty Strengwick, placing spells on the kettles to make them more durable.  It wasn't the most exciting job in the world, it wasn't paid too well, and it wasn't challenging in the least, but it was also not stressful, and the hours were good, and Mrs. Strengwick was a nice old lady. He did hear all the time about how he could have found a much better job.  It wasn't that he never had got offered jobs in the ministry, and auror training; he was.  He had turned them all down.  He couldn't handle that stuff anymore.

            Harry was walking into Betty's and continued on into the back room.  Here he saw one of his coworkers, Cathy, with two guys he didn't recognize.

            "Morning Cathy.  Where's Austin?"

            Cathy looked up at him, startled.  "Who are you, and what are you doing back here?"

            "Very funny Cathy.  Something strange is going on today.  I don't need your jokes on top of it all."  Harry always liked Cathy.  She was friendly, and a fun person to be around.  However, today she was slightly getting on his nerves.

            "I'm not joking," Cathy retorted.  "Are you?  Is someone trying to get me back from a joke I played on them?  Who is it?"

            "Where's Mrs. Strengwick?"

            "She had a meeting this morning.  Should I tell her you're looking for her?

            "No." 

            Harry only knew one more place that he could go to get answers.  His mother-in-law would be surely able to clear everything up.  He waved goodbye to Cathy and apparated to his other home, to his family. 

            Ron drug Ginny and Hermione away from the house and into the backyard.  He found a silent place where he was sure no one would interfere.  

            "You two will never believe me, but…"

            "No way!  You too," Ginny asked, interrupting her brother.  "Are you…"

            "You can't mean…"  

            "Honestly you two!  How can you understand each other when neither of you can finish a sentence," Hermione asked, trying to hide a small smile coming to her face.  It felt so good to be with friends again after not hearing from them in three years.

            "Hermione," Ron said, catching his breath.  "I haven't seen you in almost three years."

            "I know.  It's been too long."

            "How's Harry?"

            "Er, Ron…he's dead."

            "What?  You mean, Harry…"

            "No Ron, don't listen to her," Ginny cut in.  "She insists that Harry died at Percy's wedding."

            "But I thought you got married…"

            "To Harry?  Honestly!  First Viktor, then you, then Harry.  Why does everyone pair me up?  I'd be just fine on my own!  …well, of course, I want to marry Viktor.  Next thing you know your mum will come out and tell me I'm married to Malfoy!"

            "Hermione!  What are you talking about," Ron asked, grabbing a hold of her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down.

            "There's more to it," Ginny said to him.  "Not only have we come from three years into the future, but…"

            "Our futures don't exactly match," Hermione finished for her.

            "So, what does this all mean?"

            "That's what we're hoping to find out," Hermione said.  "We need to see how far back this difference takes place."

            "I bet it's Percy's wedding," Ginny exclaimed.  "Why else would we go back here?"

            "Perfect!  There's just one person missing…"

            "Who's that?"

            About that time they saw someone walking towards them, looking slightly dazed and very confused.  He called back to them.  "Erm…Mrs. Weasley told me I could find you guys out here.

            "Harry," they all exclaimed at once.


End file.
